Always three there are…for many months rumors have been swirling about Frank Miller penning, at least, a third volume in his Dark Knight series, and it’s now been confirmed via the above tweet. It’s the 30th anniversary of the original Dark Knight in 1986 so how better the celebrate than with a NEW DARK KNIGHT!

While Miller’s health has been in question in recent years, we’re told he remains sharp as a tack and eager to take on this project. Given the controversy over his recent Holy Terror, the title—referencing The Master Race—could presage even more controversy.

Brian Azzarello will be the co-writer on the projects, which will come out twice monthly, run for eight issues and start in late fall 2015. The art team has yet to be announced.

“Batman remains my favorite comic book hero and a sequel to Dark Knight is going to be daunting,” said Miller, “but we’ll do our best.”

“We are thrilled to have Frank back home at DC writing Batman,” according to Dan DiDio and Jim Lee, Co-Publishers for DC Entertainment. “The story he and Brian have crafted is an astounding and triumphant conclusion to this seminal body of work which influenced and shaped generations of readers and creators alike.”

According to Azzarello, “It’s been an amazing experience collaborating with Frank these past six months. I think we have an epic story that these characters truly deserve.”

“For the past six months, I’ve been working with Frank Miller to bring the next chapter in the ‘Dark Knight’ to light,” he said. It’s been humbling. I’ve learned a lot, and I call him sensei. It’s a really, really big project.”

Miller confirmed the news himself via Twitter (his first tweet in three and a half years), releasing promotional art from the story and stating, “I hope that by now my silence is deafening.” In the official press release, DC Comics billed the story as “the epic conclusion of the celebrated ‘The Dark Knight Returns’ saga.”

Heidi MacDonald is the founder and editor in chief of The Beat. In the past, she worked for Disney, DC Comics, Fox and Publishers Weekly. She can be heard regularly on the More To Come Podcast. She likes coffee, cats and noble struggle.

Comments

Back in february 1979,DD158 came out drawn by Miller,and it was grea!.He was a rising star, and peaked in 86 when he did the dark knight series. The sequel 15 years later,l,was terrible, absolutly Godawfull.Same with his all star Goddamn batman.His star has greatly fallen.I dont care who draws it, as long as he writes it.The only way I’d pick this up is if it was a free comic day comic.

From what I’ve seen on the web poor Frank has cancer. He looked very healthy five years ago. He’s collaborating with another writer to make what might be his last Batman graphic novel. I knew something must have been wrong with his health when I saw his comments about the protests in New York concerning the 99 per cent on Wall Street. That and his deteriorating art and quality of his stories. There was a picture of him on Face Book in a wheel chair and he was very painfully thin. If Frank were here right now I’d give him my prayers and hope his cancer goes into remission. He’s too young to leave us now and I hope that he has a story to top Dark Knight Returns. The last one, “The Dark Knight Strikes Back” was a terrible disappointment .and I knew he needed more time to develop something really special. I hope Frank calls in his former collaborators, with inks by Klaus Janson and colors by Lyn Varley.

For what the current cover is showing is basically, “The Goddamn Batman” is upset that his utopia he created in The Dark Knight Strikes Again is in uproar and it’s all Superman’s fault (somehow), and now he’ll finish what he started. With the whole, [Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice] being readied what better way to show how cool Batman is (than to off your rival and new threat at the sametime; cause let face it … with The Death of Superman symbol, you can’t really conclude very much else). Bruce probably been waiting for somekind of insurrection by our Farmboy, and to off his entire family and allies, too show whom is the Master Race on his Earth-31 (sarcasm).

Considering what’s been learned since All-Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder #1-9 TP and it’s predecessors’ that this Batman; will do anything to keep what he wants at somebody else’s price [see The Dark Knight Returns #3, Superman’s insight that lead to ASBAR revelation/Dick Grayson being the villain in TDKSA].

I am hopeful that with Brian Azzarello things won’t go off the deep end; but with DC Comics’ Batman Obsession currently in-check, I’m expecting more the one sided hero worship of all things Dark Knight.

If you remember, DK2 ended with Superman abandoning his moral code of conduct after much criticism from Batman and acting more aggressively. His last appearance had him hovering over the earth and ominously asking his daughter, “what will we do with our world?” So the “Master Race” of the title probably refers to the Superman family, now opposing Batman as a fascist elite rather than the government stooge Superman was before.

Miller has always been skinny, but in recent years he’s been gaunt and skeletal, and looks far older than his actual age of 58. If he does have cancer I hope he recovers. I’ve followed his career since Daredevil No. 158 (May 1979). While I haven’t liked anything he’s done in the last 20 years, I still have great affection for his DD, Ronin, Dark Knight Returns, Elektra: Assassin, and the Wolverine miniseries he did with Chris Claremont. His place in the comics pantheon is secure.

Yes, Miller’s work has deteriorated in recent years. But the same was true of the later work of Kirby, Caniff, Eisner, Colan, Capp and other greats. Their work also declined as they became old men. So Miller has good company in his decline.